Sweets
by FinalArcadia
Summary: No matter how distant he becomes, III will always want to be there for Tron. III tries to get through to Tron in the only manner he can think of, hoping that he won't be ignored this time. Subtle Modestyshipping, with a hint of Teaserviceshipping.


Hi, this is my first fanfic. Though it was intended as a Modestyshipping fic, it's subtle enough that it hopefully won't disturb anyone, and there might even be something in here for Teaservice fans. I hope you enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own _Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL_.**

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_Sweets_

A pleasant smell hung in the air, faint yet distinctly sweet.

III knew that he really ought to be bringing the tea he prepared out to his brothers, but it wouldn't be long until that countdown on the oven hit zero. Was it better to just wait and get everything done at once, or go ahead and bring his siblings their refreshments? _There are still five minutes_… Going with the latter option, III gently placed the cups of tea on a tray, ready to leave the kitchen before seeing IV appear in the doorway.

"_Nii-sama_, I was just about to go bring you your tea…"

IV glanced around the kitchen, noting the recently used measuring cups, spatula, and bowls. "You've been in here a while." Pausing upon noticing the aroma, he glanced over toward the oven. "So that's what's been taking you so long. What are you making over there?"

III flinched slightly at the question. He wasn't up to anything particularly secretive, but still, he had hoped that IV or V wouldn't notice his baking. Especially IV.

"It's… it's nothing much, really," said III, setting down the tea tray. "Just a little cake."

"You know, you could've just brought out our tea first and then come back with the cake once it was ready," IV responded, grinning slightly. "Not that V likes cake much anyway, though."

That reaction gave III a sense of guilt, especially that smile. How was he supposed to tell IV that the cake wasn't for his consumption, nor for V's?

"The thing is," III began, his lips worked into a nervous smile, "when I said it was a 'little cake,' I meant that it is literally a little cake. Only enough for one person…" Guiltily, he looked down to the floor, avoiding eye contact with his brother.

An awkward silence pervaded the room, broken only at IV's words.

"Oh," he simply replied. III couldn't help but detect a tiny hint of hurt in that one word. "So then, it's for V?" There was a lack of emotion one way or another as 'V' rolled off his lips. This was exactly what III was afraid of.

"N-no, it's not for V _nii-sama_ either…"

"It's just for you? I know you like sweets, but it seems like a lot of effort for-"

"-I baked the cake for Tron."

For whatever reason, it seemed IV had not expected that. III supposed it was a bit surprising, being that it wasn't often that he interacted with Tron. Though V and Tron spoke somewhat frequently, both III and IV were considerably more distant to him, which III attributed to the greater amount of time V had spent with their father before he had disappeared.

Still, even if they did not seem particularly close, they were family. III loved the blonde boy, caring about him even if that feeling no longer seemed to be reciprocated.

"_Nii-sama_, have you noticed it lately? Even more than usual, Tron has been awfully withdrawn from us. Even from V _nii-sama_." III looked up, eyes meeting IV's. "I don't know the reason, but I… I wanted to try to cheer him up."

"III, you know how he is now…"

"I know. I know that he probably won't pay any mind to it, but still… I can try," whispered III. "He likes cake so much, I thought that baking him one might have some effect…"

It was strange. From what he could remember, his father had never been much for sweets, much like V. But ever since he had been in this current form, Tron enjoyed them immensely – cake in particular – much like the child he appeared to be. These little discrepancies… More often than not, III found himself separating Tron from Byron in his mind…

His thoughts were soon interrupted by IV, who actually had a warm look in his eyes. It was a look that he hardly ever showed anymore, and it instantly erased that guilty feeling from III's heart.

"I'll bring V his tea. You have a cake to be icing, don't you?" It was moments like these that brought back memories of happier times. As IV gently pat III on the head, he reminded him, "You know, the oven alarm went off about a minute ago. You'd best get to work."

III hadn't even noticed. Smiling at his brother, he responded, a simple "thank you, _nii-sama_" sufficing. IV smiled back, leaving the kitchen to deliver V his tea.

After his brother walked away, III quickly removed the cake from the oven. Thankfully, it appeared to be perfectly baked. Despite knowing that it would be best to let the dessert sit before applying icing, III didn't wish to wait any longer. Carefully, he allowed the icing-covered knife to glide across the surface of the confection, grateful to be spreading a layer of cream cheese flavoring with no trouble. A strawberry slice soon adorned the white icing, completing the picture-perfect dessert at last.

III paced cautiously to the dark room Tron could almost always be found in. His caution was not only for fear of somehow dropping the cake, but also of how Tron would react. III knew it wouldn't be a violent or angry reaction, but that there may be _no reaction_ at all… The very thought sent a pang through the pink-haired boy's heart. Shaking his head as if to banish such possibilities from his mind, III knocked lightly on the door to Tron's sanctuary. After being greeted with a quiet "come on," he entered.

The unrelenting flashing of the numerous televisions did nothing to calm III's nerves, only serving to remind him of how little attention Tron would likely pay him. Timidly, he walked to Tron's side.

"Tron, I brought something for you," III said, doing his best to speak in a normal tone.

Initially, it seemed as though Tron was ignoring him, bursting out laughing from one of the various cartoons playing before him. _I expected this much_, III thought to himself, _though it doesn't make it any easier_…

Through his disappointment, III couldn't help but watch Tron as he sat so thoroughly amused. If he didn't know any better, III would swear that the child seated beside him was just that: a child. Aside from the mask he always wore and the unusual half of his face that was hidden beneath it, Tron truly seemed to be the age he appeared. It grew more and more difficult to believe anything but that, and III realized that he had grown to look upon Tron as a younger brother, not a father. Either way, he still loved Tron, but this line of thinking made their current situation and relationship easier to accept.

In the time that III was absorbed in his thoughts, the laughter had slowly died down.

"III, I don't care much for tea," Tron suddenly spoke, jolting III out of his contemplations. "You know that."

Of course III knew he didn't particularly care for tea. _Yet another way they're different_…

"I… I know that, Tron," he replied. "Actually, what I've got is something different." Realizing that the blonde wasn't even looking at him, III moved in front of him, obstructing the child's view of the TVs.

"Lately, it seems like you've been…" He stopped, before noting that, no, now was not the time to lose his resolve. III pressed on, continuing his thought. "…It seems like you've been locking yourself away from us even more than usual. And that… it worries me. I don't want you to get any farther away from us…"

To III's surprise, he seemed to have garnered Tron's attention, at least for the moment. He seized that moment, carrying on.

"I honestly have no idea as to why you seem down, but… I made something for you."

He looked at Tron as a little brother, and it was an older brother's duty to comfort the younger. This was the only way he knew how.

A bit shakily, III held out the plate carrying the strawberry flavored-and-topped cake. Although the gesture was greeted with quiet, Tron eventually took the plate, staring down at the dessert. Knowing it was highly improbable that he would do anything more, III faced the exit and took one step backward, ready to leave the dim room. However, he quickly felt a hand grip his own, preventing his departure.

"Tron…?" asked III, taken aback by the action.

There was a slight silence until a barely audible whisper left Tron's lips. "…Thank you, III… _Mihael_…"

Despite the overwhelming lack of lighting in the room, III caught a glimpse of a delicate, fleeting smile underneath Tron's mask. That sight was reward enough to III.

III allowed his eyes to meet Tron's, his expression one of tenderness and sincerity. He let his eyes speak for him, and soon stepped out of the room.

Perhaps Tron wasn't as far away from III as he had thought.


End file.
